Review: With Every Breath by Maya Banks

Reviewed by Jaimie

Despite waiting very impatiently for this book, I will confess I was a tiny bit worried about it. I was dying to read Eliza and Wade’s story, but I kept my fingers crossed that Maya wouldn’t turn Eliza into a simpering woman letting the big bad man save her. She is a bad ass in all the other books and I did not want to see that gone. I also worried Wade would demand that Eliza quit her job and be his little woman. My fears were for naught; this book was amazing and is probably my favorite Maya Banks book ever! With Every Breath is the fourth book in Maya’s Slow Burn series and if you like romantic suspense, you have to dive into this series.

Eliza Cummings is the only woman working for Devereaux Security Services, and she kicks ass and keeps up with her male counterparts. She is very close with Dane, and the two came to Devereaux together, but she has never confided in him about her past. Dane doesn’t even know that Eliza Cummings isn’t her real name. After facing unimaginable hell when she was just a teenager, Eliza completely changed her life. A simple phone call brings the past back in screaming color, and Eliza finds out the monster she helped put away is being released from jail. Knowing he will hurt anyone associated with her, Eliza prepares to go on the run and confront the evil that haunts her. What she didn’t count on is Wade.

Wade Sterling cares about no one. He was close with Grace from the third book in the series, but he still kept her at a distance. The one person he can’t seem to keep away from is Eliza. The two spit fire at each other whenever they are together, but there is an underlying chemistry that they both ignore. Wade sees the shadows in Eliza’s eyes and knows something is haunting her, but she brushes him off. When he catches her in the act of packing up and leaving town, he confronts her, leading to a confrontation that stuns him. Eliza is clearly terrified of something, and she begs him to just let her go so that she doesn’t get anyone else hurt. She manages to give him the slip, but Wade doesn’t give up that easily.

While many at Devereaux Security struggled with the psychic powers that Ramie, Ari, Grace and Tori have, Eliza didn’t flinch. She learned at a young age that these are not powers that you just read about in a book and knows all too well how they can ruin lives. Determined to confront the man who made her life hell, Eliza goes back to where it all began. She will take him out at all costs, even if it means dying herself. What she will not do is allow him to hurt anyone else.

Wade tracks Eliza down and they both are in for a shock. Eliza learns that Wade has a very kind heart and will do whatever it takes to protect her, while he sees that Eliza is much stronger than anyone gave her credit for. When she finally confides in him about the past he is torn up inside about what she went through. Determined to keep her safe, he agrees to help her with her plan. Knowing he can’t do it alone, he calls in her team to assist.

The action never stopped in this book. There was always something happening, and once I started reading, I couldn’t stop. The chemistry between Wade and Eliza was off the charts, and the sex was SMOKING hot. But the emotional connection they formed was even hotter. Both are fiercely loyal people, and their relationship was equal parts love and respect. Despite worrying about her constantly, Wade never tried to change who she was. He loved that she was so protective of people and accepted that part of her without challenge.

This one was my favorite book in the series so far. Wade and Eliza are a perfect couple, and you cannot help but root for them. Despite the chaos around them, their relationship still took center stage, and watching both of these fierce, proud people admit their insecurities and failings was great reading. There were some very emotional moments in the book.

Can’t say enough great things about this one. Amazing couple, plenty of action, steamy sex scenes – everything I love about a book. Really looking forward to the next one.